


Quicksilver

by spitfire123



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Con man!Ignis, Deputy!Gladio, M/M, Rating May Change, Self-indulgent wild west fic, ardyn and aranea pop up at some point, bounty hunter!Prompto, mayor's son!Noct, no beta we die like writers, why is there not more wild west au, world map is larger than it seems in the car
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-08 17:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15248091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spitfire123/pseuds/spitfire123
Summary: “So what’s Duscae like?” Noct says, but Prompto just stares at him.“You’ve… never been to Duscae?” Prompto says. “It’s only a week away on horseback.”Noct shrugs. “Never had the time. Dad doesn’t really want me going anywhere far either. He says it’s dangerous."“Well, it ain’t that dangerous.” Prompto says with a frown. “But words won’t do it’s beauty justice. You’ll have to see for yourself one day.”“Will you take me?” And Noct curses himself for saying that out loud, but Prompto’s smile seems genuine.“If that’s where I’m headed next, then sure, I’ll take ya there.”--After a chance encounter with a beautiful bounty hunter, Noct decides he wants to see everything Lucis has to offer, and he might just get sucked into the world of bounty hunting to do it.--Wild West AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been looking around the FFXV archive and I'm kinda disappointed at the lack of wild west AU's so I wrote my own. Rating might change later on so be aware of that. This is honestly just super self-indulgent OT4 stuff at this point. 
> 
> Also there are horses, cuz I feel like chocobos wouldn't be able to handle as much weight as horses.

“So this is the little bitch that’s been stealing my cows?” Noctis watches as the rancher paces in front of the cell, dusty boots scuffing along the dirt floor. The boy in the cell just sits quietly on his cot, hands tied behind his back. “How old are you anyways, sonny? Can’t be more than fifteen.” The blond boy does nothing but stare at the floor, eyes darting to and fro as if he were reading lines along the ground.

The rancher growls when he gets no response, and raises a hand to shake the door of the cell loudly. “Answer me damn it!” The blond flinches at the noise, but still says nothing, and Noct had to admit that the kid had balls to stay silent. The rancher stares at the blond for about a minute longer, before he turns on his heel. “He must be stupid, just kill him and put him out of his misery.” He says, and Noctis’ blood boils but he nods and sees the man out.

He hates working this job while the Amicitias are running errands in the next town over, but everyone looks to the mayor’s family to act as law enforcement when they’re gone, so Noct doesn’t really have a choice.

When he returns, the blond is looking up at him nervously, and Noct sighs as he leans on the bars of the jail cell. “I’m not going to kill you.” He says. “I’m still not convinced you did it.” How one kid could steal twenty cows in one night is beyond Noct, but still the boy says nothing. He hasn’t said anything since he was brought in.

“Do you even understand what I’m saying to you?” Noct asks. The boy looks back down at the ground, and his eyes start darting around again.

It’s another minute until he looks back up at Noct. “Yeah, I understand ya.” And then the ropes fall away from his arms and Noct’s jaw drops because he knows he tied those on as tight as it would let him. The blond stands to drop the rope in front of Noctis, and then he steps forward to grip edge of his vest through the bars of his cell.

“What are you doing?” Noct grips the blond’s hand, keeping it from roaming through his pockets.

“Leaving.” He says. “I’m not supposed to be here. I’ve got things I need to do.” And he glares up at Noct. “Gimme the keys.”

Noct guffaws at that, stepping away from the bars and the blond’s outstretched hand. He pats his chest just to make sure the keys to the cell are still there, a smile still playing on his lips. “You can’t leave yet, you aren’t cleared. What could be more important than clearing your name?”

“Literally anything else. Y’know, like catching the guy that actually stole those cows. Bet he’s got a decent bounty on his head.” And he leans on the bars, pouting. “I could be makin’ so much money right now.”

“Well, I can’t just let you out of here.” Noct says, and he turns to sit at his desk, propping his feet against the bars of the cell. “You still got some time to serve until I can get the okay from the mayor. What’s your name anyway?” Noct watches the blond roll his eyes and fall back against the cot, stretching out sinewy muscle along the makeshift bed. His shirt rolls up from the movement, and he brings one hand to scratch at the skin of his stomach idly. It’s like he’s trying to tease Noct with that strip of skin that’s peeking out from his shirt.

“It’s Prompto.” He says, crossing one ankle over the other. “Prompto Argentum.”

“Prompto Argentum.” Noct repeats, and the name sounds familiar in his mouth but he can’t place where it’s from. He picks up the gun he wrestled out of Prompto’s hands last night during the arrest, noting a V.B. carved into the side. Prompto must be an alias. “You a bounty hunter?” When Prompto nods, Noct continues. “Who’re you hunting for in Leide?”

“You got all my belongings right there on the table, Sheriff. Why don’t you look and tell me.” Prompto throws an arm over his eyes, and Noct decides not to tell him that he’s only a stand in. He turns to the desk, instantly spotting a folded up sheet of paper.

He opens it up. “Loqi Tummelt.” He reads off. “Wanted alive for cattle rustling and evading the law.” He looks to Prompto. “This is who you’re hunting? The reward is only ten gil.” And it’s Prompto’s turn to laugh.

“You’re really in the dark, ain’t ya?” He says, grinning to himself. “Why do you reckon they want him alive?” That’s a question that Noct never even considered. Why would they ever want a criminal alive? Prompto raises his arm up to look at Noct, and those blue eyes are gleaming. “You don’t know, do ya?”

Noct takes a stab in the dark. “Because his crimes aren’t that bad?” And they aren’t. Cattle rustling is a crime, sure, but not enough to warrant the death penalty unless this ‘Loqi’ guy has stolen a shit ton of cows. “I mean, unless he stole a hundred cows-”

“It’s because he’s got dirt on something.” Prompto cuts him off. “That’s how the chase works.” Noct has never met a bounty hunter as talkative as Prompto, but it’s not like he’s met a lot of bounty hunters in his life anyways. There’d only been one he really remembered, and she mostly kept to herself.

“Well then,” Noct says. “How does the chase work?” And Prompto’s grin widens.

“Have I got a good man of the law interested in bounty hunting?” And Noct almost tells Prompto that he’s more interested in _him_ than he is in bounty hunting, where his blond hair comes from, why his eyes are so beautifully blue, but he silences that part of his brain very quickly and opts for a nod instead.

“Well, you see, the reason he’s wanted alive is because he’s got dirt on something, right? And if I can get that info, it gives me that much more of a chance to get the bounty on whoever this fucker’s got info on.”

“How’re you gonna get dirt from a criminal?” Noct asks, and he sits up in his chair at the same time as Prompto sits up on the cot behind bars.

“He’s wanted, but I betcha he doesn’t know he’s not wanted _dead_.” Prompto says, and he must see Noct’s confused expression, because he continues. “See, most criminals know when they’re wanted, right? So he’s not going to be surprised when I roll up to nab him, but that’s when I pull the whole ‘You’re wanted dead or alive, now I’ll make a deal with ya. I won’t kill you if you gimme info on so-and-so.’ So even if he does know he’s wanted, I bet he doesn’t know he’s wanted alive, and I can use that to my advantage.”

“So you trick them into giving you insight on the next bounty, and then turn them in to authorities?”

“Exactly.” Prompto says. “Now you’re getting it.” He points to something on Noct’s desk. “Toss me my cards.”

“You got a lot a time to play cards on the frontier or something?” Noct asks as he hands over a deck of dusty cards.

Prompto shrugs. “Passes the time when I’m bored.” He unpacks the cards and begins shuffling.

Noct scowls, eying those deft fingers shuffle before turning to the paperwork on the desk. “Sorry I’m boring.”

“It ain’t you. I just can’t sit still for a long time. Always gotta be moving.” And then there’s silence while Noct does his work and Prompto lays out a game of solitaire.

“So how did a kid like you get into bounty hunting?” Noct breaks the silence after a while, and Prompto’s head snaps up at him.

“You can’t seriously think I’m fifteen.” Prompto laughs out, and Noct has to turn away because of the intensity of Prompto’s smile and his own embarrassed blush. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“It’s not like you’ve got facial hair or anything.” Noct grunts, cursing under his breath as Prompto laughs harder. He abandons his solitaire game to rock back on his heels.

“You ain’t never seen a Niff before?” And yeah, Noct’s never seen a Niff before, especially not in some small town out in the hot Leiden desert.

“Can’t say I have. What’s it like in Niflheim?” Noct asks, and Prompto shrugs in return.

“I dunno. My ma was a Niff, but I’ve lived my whole life in Duscae.”

“So what’s Duscae like?” Noct says, but Prompto just stares at him.

“You’ve… never been to Duscae?” Prompto says. “It’s only a week away on horseback.”

Noct shrugs. “Never had the time. Dad doesn’t really want me going anywhere far either. He says it’s dangerous.”

“Well, it ain’t _that_ dangerous.” Prompto says with a frown. “But words won’t do it’s beauty justice. You’ll have to see for yourself one day.”

“Will you take me?” And Noct curses himself for saying that out loud, but Prompto’s smile seems genuine.

“If that’s where I’m headed next, then sure, I’ll take ya there.”

* * *

The excitability of Prompto sparks something in Noctis, some need to explore, to live life instead of just following in the footsteps of his father. He finds himself thinking more and more about the frontier, about bounty hunting, about beautiful mountains and mirror lakes. He thinks about Prompto, about his blond hair dripping in the sun, or his blue eyes the color of the open sky.

He makes his decision. He wants to leave this town behind and blaze a new path across the frontier.

The Amicitias, father and son, return later that same evening from Hammerhead, both dusty and tired and slumped over their horses. Gladio splits off from his father as soon as he sees Noct waiting on the porch of the mayor’s house.

“Well, would you look at that.” He says from the back of his horse, and Noct groans. “I’ve got a real life prince waiting for me when I get back.”

“Quit it.” Noct can’t stop the smile that spreads through his face. Gladio dismounts to follow him inside. The Amicitias are like family to Noct, and to his dad as well, and they’re welcome in the mayor’s house anytime they please.

The first thing Gladio does is draw a bucket of water from the well out back, and Noct is grateful because Gladio always stinks after a long day of riding.

“You woulda hated it, Noct.” Gladio says, wiping his face down with a white washcloth, and he grimaces as it comes back pure brown. “There were so many bugs.” Gladio sticks his tongue out as he pats the washcloth over his shoulders. “I think a few got in my mouth on the ride back.”

“Gross.” Noct says, but he can’t stop thinking about Duscae. He can’t stop thinking about leaving and seeing the world. “Have you ever thought about leaving?” He asks, and his eyes are trained on the window, on the dark sky speckled with stars.

“Not really?” Gladio says, and he puts the washcloth down to look at Noct. “Why?” He only answers with a shrug.

Maybe he shouldn’t tell Gladio about his plans.

* * *

When Gladio releases Prompto the next morning, Noct expects never to see him again, and he spends the rest of the day lamenting that he never got to ask if he was being serious when he said he would take him to Duscae.

But Prompto returns in the evening with Loqi Tummelt tied up and slung across the saddle of his horse. He drops him into Noct’s arms with a grin.

“I’ve got my next target, and he’s in Cleigne, past Duscae, so I’ll be able to take you.” He says. “Mind if I stay here one more night?” And Noctis nods, hoping that, come tomorrow, he won’t see this town for a long while, and he’ll be free to travel the world as he pleases.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning comes quick enough, and a mixture of anxiety and excitement is already pooling in Noct’s gut. Part of him thinks this might just be a big prank, a sick joke that someone decided to pull.

But when he walks out of his house into the cool morning air, fresh with dew, Prompto’s there waiting for him, tightening a saddle bag onto his own horse.

“You got everything you wanna bring?” Prompto asks, and he nods towards the pair of saddlebags that Noct haphazardly packed last night with anything and everything he could think of. Noct nods back, and he hands them over to Prompto as he turns to get his horse from the mayor’s stable.

“Have you said all your goodbyes?” Prompto asks when he returns with his horse, aptly named Carbuncle for the white star of fur on his forehead. Noct hasn’t actually told anyone where he’s going because he’s afraid someone will take this from him, but Prompto doesn’t need to know that. So he lies and tells Prompto he has.

And just like that, they’re off, and Noct’s never been this excited in his life. He can’t wait to see everything Duscae has to offer, and then maybe Cleigne after that if Prompto will let him tag along. He trails his horse after Prompto’s, watching the top of Prompto’s hat as he bounces up and down in the saddle.

But the excitement slowly morphs into boredom, and by the time the sun is high in the sky, Noct decides to pull Carbuncle up next to Prompto and ask him how much longer until Duscae. He knows it’s a couple more days, but travelling is far more boring than he thought. And now there are bugs. So many bugs.

“Hey Prompto.” He says, but soon trails off at the image in front of him, because Prompto is dead asleep on his horse, head tilted back with drool and spittle falling from the corner of his mouth. And that would be super impressive if it wasn’t so dangerous. Noct reaches over to shake his shoulder, hopefully to wake him up.

Prompto jolts awake as soon as Noctis touches him, hands flying to the horn of the saddle and gripping it tightly. His eyes are wide with alarm, but he relaxes the moment he meets Noct’s gaze.

“Everything good?” He slurs sleepily as one of his hands swipe sleep from his eyes. “You alright?”

“You were sleeping on your horse.” Noct points out, but Prompto just blinks.

“Sorry?” Prompto offers, and Noct frowns.

“Is this a normal thing for you?”

“Yes?”

“Uh, aren't you afraid of falling off?”

“Not really. You get used to it after a while." Prompto says. "I'll, uh, try to stay awake for ya." And he gives Noct a light smile that sends butterflies into his stomach. Noct pulls Carbuncle away to hide the blush that rises on his cheeks, and settles on following a few steps behind Prompto. 

They fall into a comfortable silence after that, Noct trailing just behind Prompto’s horse.

* * *

Despite his past mistakes, Prompto isn’t stupid. He sees the way men look at him, enamoured with his golden hair and clusters of freckles. He knows when someone asks to join him on a trip, it’s almost exclusively for sex.

But something about Noctis screams different to him. When he looks at Prompto, it’s all innocent smiles and airy questions. When he looks at him, Prompto feels different, like the years that have passed don’t matter anymore, like he can finally leave the past in the past and have peace.

He thinks feeling this way for Noct might be dangerous, so he pushes those thoughts away as best he can.

“Who’s the next guy?” Noct asks from somewhere behind him, and when Prompto turns, Noct’s got his shirt halfway unbuttoned in the heat. Prompto’s eyes flicker to the muscle definition hidden just below the collar, then back up before Noct can notice.

“Uh, just some con man.” Prompto says, turning back to pull his hat down to hide his blush. “I don’t have the wanted poster yet, but I should be able to pick one up in Lestallum.” Noct makes a noise in the back of his throat, and Prompto sneaks another glance behind him.

His unbuttoned shirt flutters in the slight breeze, revealing more of that toned chest for Prompto. Sweat dribbles down from his forehead, and he pushes his hat up to swipe it off with the back of his hand. The dust of Leide clings to his face, but it’s so endearing to watch. He blinks out of his gaze when Noct turns to him.

“How do you keep all the bugs off of you?” He says, batting at a particularly large fly hovering in front of his face, and Prompto finds it in himself to smile. He reaches into one of his saddlebags and drops his horse back to parallel Noct’s.

“Here.” He says as he pulls a sprig of dried lemongrass from his bag. “Put this in your bag and it should help.” Their hands touch minutely when Noct takes it from him, and Prompto watches the red bloom over Noct’s face, but he can’t tell if it’s the heat or the contact. He wants it to be the contact so bad, he wants to watch Noct smile and laugh and squirm under his fingers and-

He needs to stop. Casual sex is one thing, but feelings like this are dangerous. He’s learned that the hard way more times than he needed to, but this man is making him fall all over again. And, boy, when he falls, he falls _hard._

* * *

When night comes, they make camp in the gorge outside of Insomnia. It’s dark and dirty, but they’ve got a small campfire going. Dinner is a shared piece of jerky that they pass back and forth as Prompto tells him stories of the mirror lake and bounty hunters.

And when they lie down on the dusty ground, side by side with the campfire still crackling, Prompto throws a dirty blanket over the two of them.

“It gets pretty cold out during the night.” Prompto says, fingers trailing over Noct’s arm, and Noct meets those fingers halfway, holding on to his hand. This is new territory for him. His heart is pounding in his chest as Prompto knocks their heads together lightly, but Prompto seems unfazed, pressing his warmth to Noct’s side.

“Do you know anything about the stars?” Prompto asks, and Noct gulps. Prompto’s blond hair is tickling the underside of his chin and his thumb is stroking small circles into the back of his hand. It’s a little overwhelming but so, so good.

Noct only nods because he doesn’t trust his voice with Prompto so close. Prompto’s free hand is trailing up and down Noct’s arm now, but his eyes are trained on the sky above.

“Teach me.” He whispers into the skin of Noct’s neck, breath warm, and Noct is so grateful for the darkness because he’s sure that his face is flame red. He reaches out with his free hand, tracing four stars in the sky for Prompto.

“That’s Titan, the Archanean.” He says, and then he traces a serpentine path of six stars. “And that’s Leviathan, the Hydrean.” Noct stops, breath stuck in his throat as Prompto nuzzles into Noct’s neck proper. He can feel Prompto’s eyes flutter closed against the hollow of his ear, feel his breathing slow against neck.

The fire sputters in its makeshift pit and dies, leaving Noct with nothing but the moon and the stars in the sky, and the feeling of Prompto pressed to his side.

* * *

Prompto is awoken the next morning by commotion, a behemoth of a man as he grunts and wrestles Prompto away from Noct. When Prompto struggles against him, the man twists his arms around his back until he’s writhing in pain.

“Get off me!” Prompto whimpers, and his arm is on the cusp of being dislocated. His gun rests at his side, but it’s of no use without his hands. If he can just get one of his hands free, he might have a fighting chance. He kicks his legs up to connect with a brawny back, but the man holds steadfast.

“Gladio!” He hears Noct shout, and the strict tone makes the giant man on Prompto pause. Prompto takes the chance to turn towards Noct in time to see him rub the sleep from his eyes. “Stop it, let go of him.” But the man doesn’t budge, still holding Prompto’s hands behind his back in a lock while the blond squirms under him.

“Why should I?” He growls, and his grip on Prompto’s arms tighten until Prompto knows he’s going to have bruises there in a couple hours. “He kidnapped you!” And Prompto instantly stops moving underneath him.

“You think I did _what_?” He says before one of Gladio’s thick hands presses his face into the dusty ground. A grunt of confusion from Noct, and then a ragged sigh.

“He didn’t kidnap me, Gladio, stop it.” He grinds out, eyebrows furrowing. “I asked him to take me to Duscae.” And Gladio stops trying to dislocate Prompto’s shoulder, but he’s still sitting on the middle of Prompto’s back, keeping him down.

“Why?” Gladio asks, and Prompto’s hands are finally free. He squirms his way out from under Gladio and jumps to his feet, whipping out his gun. Gladio just rolls his eyes. “Put the gun away kiddo.”

“I’m not a kid!” Prompto’s hands are steady as he aims for Gladio’s chest, but suddenly Noct is between both of them, staring down the front of Prompto’s barrel.

“Don’t shoot him.” He says. Prompto holds his form for a couple seconds, but Noct is in the way, so he lowers his arm to slip the gun back into its holster with a bit more flourish than necessary.

And everything starts to calm down, but tensions are still running high.

“Why didn’t you just ask me to take you?” Gladio asks. He looks almost heartbroken, like his anger has all but vanished. “I would’ve taken you if you told me you wanted to go.”

“You know how my dad is!” Noct cries. He looks so worried, like the world is crumbling at his feet. “He would’ve never let me go, even if I begged him to!” Gladio starts to say something, but then closes his mouth, like he thinks better of it.

Suddenly, Prompto realizes that Noct isn’t the Sheriff, nor is he the Marshall. He’s not a man of the law like Prompto thought, and he wouldn’t be able to leave a town by itself just to see Duscae if he was. He's too young. He doesn’t know who Noct is. Six, he’s so stupid.

“Just-” Prompto stops to swallow down the rising panic. “Just who are you?”

Gladio just turns to him, looking more and more displeased by the minute. “Mayor’s son.” He says, and Prompto nearly faints.

“You mean like, the mayor of Insomnia?” Gladio nods, and Prompto slumps to his knees. Six, he’s so stupid.

“Uh, you okay Blondie?” Prompto just falls back to lie on the hard ground. He’s got to have a bounty on his head now. They think he kidnapped the son of the mayor of the biggest town on the entire frontier.

“Is my bounty at least a hundred gil?” He asks, and the clouds roll by overhead. The breeze chills his skin, and Gladio’s laugh feels miles away.

“It’s actually at ten thousand gil right now.” Gladio says, and Prompto’s actually somewhat impressed by that. Ten thousand gil, just because Noct wanted to see Duscae. Well, it was good while it lasted.

“You gonna take me in?” Prompto asks, but Gladio just laughs in that deep rumble of a voice and shakes his head.

“Nah.” He says, and Prompto thanks whatever gods are out there that Gladio seems to be a decent human being. “This ain’t your fault. I can ride back to the outpost and tell Cor to take the bounty down.” He gives Noct a pointed glare. “Make it easy on the both of us and wait for me to get back. Your dad will have a fit if I’m not protecting you every step of the way.”

Noct rolls his eyes as he turns to sit next to Prompto on the ground. “Whatever, just go.”  And he waves Gladio off before he lays down next to Prompto and casts his eyes towards the sky. “Sorry about him. He’s kinda..”

“Big.” Prompto supplies, and his wrists start to throb where Gladio held him down. Noct laughs.

“I was going to say overbearing but big works too.” Prompto shrugs. He doesn’t know what overbearing means, but it doesn’t sound good. Noct’s fingers find his own again, and he holds onto his hand so softly that it makes Prompto want to melt under the sun.

Those stupid feelings are back now, thoughts of what-ifs and maybes float around in his head, but he pushes them away again to focus on the warmth of Noct’s hand around his.

* * *

Gladio returns around midday, saddlebags packed to the brim with supplies and a sword and sheath hanging from his belt. Noct stands to meet him when he dismounts, and his eyes widen as Gladio unties the sheath from his belt and holds it out for Noctis to take.

“Your dad wanted me to give this to you.” Gladio says, and Noct’s brow furrows as he takes the sword.

“I thought this was ceremonial.” After years of watching his father wield it for ceremonies and holidays, it feels heavier than he thought it would be.

“Nah, it’s a real sword.” Gladio says. “It’s sharp, so try not to cut yourself.” Noct scowls at Gladio as he ties the sheath to his belt.

“Woah, fancy sword.” Prompto pipes up from where he’s stuffing the blanket back into his saddlebag. “Y’all ready to go? I reckon we could hit Hammerhead by dusk if we leave now.” When both Gladio and Noct nod, he mounts his horse and waits for them to do the same.

And then they set off, three horses side by side in the midday sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the positive feedback! I'm super duper excited about this story so far and it's basically writing itself!
> 
> also as a side note, I don't think dried lemongrass keeps bugs away, but oils do? but eh, its fiction, it doesn't need to be right.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun is just barely setting as they ride into Hammerhead. Noct is essentially asleep on his horse when they enter town, though he’s just conscious enough to stay mounted while Prompto and Gladio check into the inn.

But now Gladio is stuck with the job of carrying Noct towards their shared room, and Prompto gets to chat with Cindy in the front of the inn.

Though Gladio was surprised, to say the least, when Prompto said he knew Cindy, but it makes more sense the more he thinks about it. Cindy’s grandpa, Cid, is the sheriff of Hammerhead and the surrounding areas, so it’s only fitting that a bounty hunter and the sheriff would know each other, especially if Prompto takes on a lot of bounties around here like he claims he does. It’s unusual that Gladio’s never been formally introduced to Prompto before, but Gladio assumes it’s because he doesn’t get to Insomnia very often, if at all.

Gladio’s known Cindy his whole life. Clarus and Cid used to be good buddies before the latter moved to Hammerhead to live with his granddaughter after her parents were killed in a bandit raid, and Gladio’s had the pleasure of working with Cid as one of his father’s deputies on multiple occasions. Clarus was always keen on introducing Gladio to his friends and their families, so it’s only fitting he’d get to know Cid’s granddaughter as well.

And he likes Cindy. She’s nice and cute and she’s got her own business by running the inn and a side job fixing and repairing weapons. She’s always busy working on something, and Gladio has to admire her work ethic and her drive.

But that same work ethic is the thing keeping Gladio at an arm's length when he wants to be closer. Everytime he tries to spend quality time with her, she’s working. Whenever he has free time near Hammerhead, he’ll ask if she wants to go to the saloon or take a ride or do something together, but the answer is always no, she’s working.

Even though he’s failed in the past, now seems like a great opportunity to ask again, so he sets Noct on the bed of the room that they rented for the night and slips out the door. The floorboards creak under his weight as he walks down the hall towards where he can hear Prompto and Cindy talking, but he stops before he turns the corner. Something about the tone of Prompto’s voice has him on edge, so he waits behind the wall, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I don’t know, Cindy.” Prompto says, and his voice is tired. Gladio hears him sigh, a small breathy huff that makes something in him feel uneasy. “It’s just that last time-”

“I know what happened last time.” Cindy interrupts. Prompto starts shuffling his feet against the hardwood floor, and now it’s Cindy’s turn to sigh. “Prompto, look at me.” There’s a tense moment of silence, and then she starts again. “I know what happened last time, but you can’t let what happened before ruin everything for you now.”

“I’m so stupid,” Prompto whispers, and Cindy makes a noise of confusion and hurt.

“Prom, you ain’t-” But Prompto must give her a look because she stops talking immediately. Gladio slows his breathing so he can hear all the minute details, the raspy breathing from Prompto and the sounds of nails on the hardwood of the desk. He feels kind of bad listening in on their conversation like this, but he’d rather be in the know than not.

“That big guy, Gladio? He’s so.. he’s so much like him.” Prompto’s breath hitches in his throat, and Gladio can hear Cindy whine slightly.

“Honey.” She croons. “Gladio’s a good guy, he’d never hurt you the way _he_ did.”

“But what if he does?” Prompto sounds desperate, on the verge of tears, and Gladio suddenly feels sick. This is so wrong. Prompto is scared of him.

“He won’t. I’ve known Gladio my whole life, and he won’t hurt you, I promise.”

There’s a brief moment of silence, and all he can hear are little shudders from Prompto and the rustle of clothing.

Prompto’s voice is nothing but a whisper when he speaks again. “Look.” He says, and Cindy gives a little gasp. “Look what he did.” Gladio’s stomach lurches when he realizes Prompto’s probably showing her his arms where he squeezed too hard in anger. “I didn’t really think about it at the time, but the more I spend thinking about it, the more afraid I get.” There’s a pause and some shuffling, and Prompto sounds close to tears. “I don’t want to be scared but I am and I hate it, Cindy. I hate being scared.” There’s the sound of movement, boots on the wooden floor, and then Prompto’s small sobs are muffled, like he’s buried his face into Cindy’s neck.

She’s probably hugging him, holding him close, and Gladio feels so ashamed. He never meant for this to happen. He acted in anger, acted without thinking, and he hurt an innocent person because of it. His father tried to warn him to be careful with others, that his strength would be his biggest weakness, and he’d tried so hard to control it, but the moment he thought Noct was in danger was the moment he let it slip, and now Prompto’s paying the price for his failure.

“It’s alright, honey, you’re safe here.” And she must pull back slightly, because Prompto’s sniffles are suddenly much louder in Gladio’s ears. “Why don’t you take a little walk outside while I get a separate room set up for ya.” Prompto starts to protest, but Cindy shushes him. “Don’t worry about a thing, alright? I’ll make sure it’s free of charge.”

There’s another sniff. “Thanks Cindy.” Prompto says, and his voice cracks at the end. “You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah, go get some fresh air.” Cindy says. There are footsteps that he can only assume are Prompto’s and the gentle close of a door, and then Cindy is sighing. Gladio starts to creep back to his own room to rest when her voice stops him in his tracks. “Didn’t your daddy ever tell you it was rude to listen to other people’s conversations?”

* * *

“You outta be ashamed of yourself, Gladio.” Cindy’s face is scrunched up in an angry glare, and her hands are on her hips. She's two seconds away from poking Gladio in the chest like an angry mother. “Not only did you eavesdrop on our private conversation, but you also spooked him real bad. He thinks you’re going to hurt him just like-” And she stops, eyes widening for a moment as she realizes her mistake, before her glare returns and she crosses her arms over her chest.

“Like who? Who hurt him Cindy and I’ll make sure they pay.” And that’s a promise, Gladio adds to himself, because no one should ever have to live in fear like that, but Cindy doesn’t budge.

“It ain’t my place to tell you, so I ain’t gonna.” She says, and the finality of her tone says it all. Her arms are crossed and her brow is drawn tight, and Gladio knows he isn’t getting any information out of her. “Just go back to your room and pretend this never happened.” A weight settles in Gladio’s stomach as he turns to slink back to his room, but Cindy stops him again. “And if I ever, _ever_ hear that you hurt him again,” When he looks, there’s fire in her eyes, fierce determination, a promise. “I will never forgive you.”

* * *

Noct is still sleeping when he returns, so Gladio sits on the edge of the bed and stares. The little lantern on the nightstand flickers, sending waves of light over Noct’s face, and Gladio reaches out a hand to brush his hair behind an ear.

Noct had always been a constant in his life, someone to spend time with and someone to look forward to. He was so unbelievably worried when Clarus told him Noct was missing, but now that he’s found him, Gladio feels like he can finally relax. But the edge is still there, because now he knows that something is haunting Prompto, and it’s all his fault that those bad memories have been brought back. Gladio makes a promise to himself, then and there, that he’ll do everything in his power to convince Prompto that he won’t hurt him again.

And now seems like the perfect opportunity to start, because as soon as he’s done making that promise, the door slides open and Prompto slips inside. He’s got a pillow in one hand, pressed against his chest, and a clean blanket over his shoulder. He starts when he sees Gladio sitting on the bed next to Noct.

“Oh, s-sorry.” He manages to squeak out, seemingly frozen in place as he avoids Gladio’s eyes. A red flush sets itself on Prompto’s cheeks. “I’ll go somewhere else.” And he turns, reaching out for the door again. Before Gladio can blink, Prompto is halfway out of the bedroom, and Gladio’s about to lose him. He has to make things as right as they can be for now.

“Prompto, it’s fine.” Prompto turns back to him, and Gladio stands from the bed, trying to ignore the way Prompto tenses when he does. “I’ll sleep on the floor if you want to sleep in the bed with Noct.” Prompto just blinks, finally meeting his gaze with wide eyes, visibly surprised.

“Is it really alright?” He asks, voice quiet and strained against the silence. The hand that is clenched tightly around his pillow starts to relax. When Gladio nods, Prompto holds out the pillow and the blanket to him, and Gladio’s careful not to brush hands when he takes them.

Prompto gives him a wide girth as he slides around him, careful not to turn his back fully to Gladio, and it honestly worries Gladio more than it should, but this is all his fault, so he has to deal with it. It’s like working with a small animal, one that’s been hurt before, all skittish and suffering. He has to be patient and he can’t react with anger.

Gladio turns the lantern off once Prompto has gotten settled in next to Noct, and then he lays there on the floor. The darkness of the bedroom is thick and the silence is suffocating. There’s so much Gladio wants to say, so much he wants to ask, but he can’t now. It’s not time.

Just as Gladio is starting to doze off, there’s a small sniffle from then bed, and then another, and he’s instantly awake again.

“Prompto? Are you still up?” The darkness seems to shift around Gladio, and the bed rustles above him.

“Yeah.” There’s more rustling, like Prompto can’t get comfortable. Gladio thinks about all the things he wants to ask: who hurt him, what’s he doing roaming around by himself, what happened last time, how he became a bounty hunter, but Gladio just drives them away with a shake of the head. He needs to be patient.

“I’m sorry about your arms.” Gladio says finally, after thinking about all the things he could say. The rustling stops abruptly and the silence is deafening, only broken by soft breaths and the beating of Gladio’s heart in his chest.

“Don’t worry about it.” Prompto says dismissively after a minute of silence, and Gladio doesn’t know how to respond to that. Does Prompto not believe him? Should he say it again?

He doesn’t get the chance to though, because the sound of a snore rips through the darkness, and it doesn’t take him long to realize that Prompto’s fallen asleep. Maybe he should fall asleep too.

He’ll apologize tomorrow too, and hopefully Prompto will come to realize that Gladio isn’t someone he needs to be scared of. At least, he hopes that will be the outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gosh, gladio is so easy for me to write! (it's probably because I wrote a gladio centric promptio week piece, and if you think this is a subtle message for you to go read that, you're right. it's my magnum opus pls go read it) thanks for all the kudos and comments, and i hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

When Prompto wakes up, Noct is still sleeping right beside him, one hand curled around his own and his legs tangled in Prompto’s. He looks so peaceful, and Prompto can’t bring himself to wake him up.

The hand print bruises burn on his forearms, right where Gladio held him down yesterday. The leather bracelet he keeps tied around his right wrist burns too, but the warmth of Noct’s palm in his lessens the pain. It’s so nice to not be alone anymore, even if it’s just for a while.

Noct looks so calm when he’s asleep. He’s so close to Prompto, and, in the morning light, he can see all the little details that he hadn’t been able to see before: the pale pinkness of his lips, the stark black of eyelashes against creamy skin, a scar on his forehead just below the hairline. Every minute detail has Prompto inching closer, perhaps to see more of Noct or perhaps because he feels warmer next to him.

He brings his free hand up to trace along Noct’s jaw, fingers caressing his lower lip, and he thinks Noct might be the most gorgeous person he’s ever seen, like a prince straight out of a fairy tale his mother used to tell him about. He knocks their foreheads together lightly, taking the next couple minutes in bed to just stare at Noct in all of his unbridled beauty.

The hand not gripping his own is thrown over Prompto's waist, wrapped tightly and pressed to the small of his back. When Noct starts to shift in his sleep, he pulls Prompto over him, and though he may look like a beanpole, Noct is much stronger than Prompto first thought. All he can do is be pulled along, but Prompto doesn’t mind, taking the opportunity to rest his head on Noct’s chest, right over his heart.

A laugh comes from the door, and Prompto looks up to see Gladio standing in the doorway. He looks like he’s been up for hours, freshly bathed and holding a steaming mug of coffee in one hand.

“Pretty handsy, ain’t he?” Gladio says, all warm smiles and soft eyes, and Prompto relaxes into Noct’s arms and Gladio’s gaze. He rests his head back on Noct’s chest, just listening to the beating of his heart.

“Yeah.” His fingers tighten around Noct’s hand. It’s nice not to be alone for once.

Gladio sits on the edge of the bed, still cradling the mug of coffee in his hands. His back is to Prompto though, and he staring down at the floor below. “Cindy said she’s got a new rifle for you, whenever you’re ready.”

“Okay.” He says, but he’s not ready to leave Noct’s arms just yet. He can’t get over just how warm he feels, how at home he is there. It’s been a long time since he’s felt like this.

Gladio coughs awkwardly before speaking again. “I brought you coffee.” He starts to hold out the mug to Prompto before thinking better of it and placing it on the nightstand. Prompto doesn’t have the heart to tell him that he doesn’t like coffee.

“Thanks.” Prompto says, and Gladio doesn’t say anything in return, still sitting on the bed next to Prompto.

There’s a few more minutes of silence where Prompto relaxes into Noct, letting his warmth seep into him before Gladio speaks again.

“So,” Gladio starts, and he’s twiddling his thumbs when Prompto looks over at him again. “How do you know Cindy?”

“You mean aside from working for Cid a lot?” Prompto says, but he feels bad when he sees Gladio flinch. He's just here trying to make conversation and Prompto has to be a sarcastic dick about it.

Prompto knows Cindy because they’re family, cousins in fact. And he was the one who killed the bandits that murdered her parents. He knows Cindy because his ten-year-old self saw a twelve-year-old girl terrified and alone in a pool of her parents blood and he vowed revenge for her. So he took his father’s gun, too heavy for his small hands, and slaughtered the three men responsible before they knew what was happening.

And when he returned to the farm where Cindy was, she hugged him and kissed his cheek and told him how brave he was, but Prompto wanted nothing more than to wash the blood and death from his body and forget it ever happened. It was awful, so, _so_ awful.

He just wanted justice for Cindy’s parents because they were his family. Everything changed after that, but he doesn’t want to think about right now. So he doesn’t.

Instead, he thinks of Gladio, the warm mug of coffee sitting on the nightstand, Noct’s hand in his and his arm around Prompto’s waist. It’s the little things like this that count in the end.

“I helped Cindy with something once.” Prompto says, purposely keeping his answer as vague as possible. These two don’t need to know of all the things that haunt Prompto.

* * *

The rifle Cindy gives him is heavy in his hands, but the weight of the barrel is even. When he holds it, it almost feels natural, and Cindy is grinning while she watches him work.

“How’s it feeling?” Cindy asks as he looks down the sights of the gun. It’s a pretty gun, with a wooden stock and a long barrel, just the kind of long range gun he needed to add to his collection.

“Feels good, but I’m gonna need to try it out before I take it.”

“Why not take it on a hunt?” Cindy says, nodding towards the cork board of the inn where there’s a couple of wanted signs pinned up. “We got a couple of big bounties up right now.” Prompto looks towards the board with a raised eyebrow.

“Y’all got a bounty on a bandersnatch?” Prompto moves to pull the wanted poster from the board, and Cindy makes a noise of affirmation.

“It’s feral and it’s ruinin’ the natural landscape, so we got a bounty on it.” Cindy says, and Prompto takes the time to attach a strap to the rifle and hang it on his shoulder. “It’s a pretty bounty too. Easy thousand gil.” She reaches into her gunsmith’s apron, pulling out some extra ammunition and handing it to him. “You know the drill though, just bring me the claw. It shouldn’t be too hard for ya.”

“You flatter me, Cindy. I’ll take it.”

* * *

 “He did what?” Gladio curses, and Noct is at his side, looking just as worried as Gladio is feeling.

“He took a bounty on a feral bandersnatch, nothing y’all need to be worried about. He’ll be back soon.” Cindy says. “But if y’all are real worried about him, the place shouldn’t be more than ten minutes in that direction.” And she points to the northeast, towards where Gladio knows Insomnia lies past the intracoastal waterway. “It’s down in a big pit. Hard to miss.”

When Gladio looks at Noct, he sees the same concern and the same worry that he’s feeling. Fighting a bandersnatch is hard enough with a group of people, nevertheless by yourself. Noct nods at him, agreeing with Gladio’s question that he has yet to ask, and then they take off in the direction that Cindy pointed.

Prompto better be okay.

* * *

The last sighting of the bandersnatch is only ten minutes away from Hammerhead, down in a ravine and next to a nice little pond. Well, it was a nice little pond getaway last time Prompto had been there, but now the place is trashed. The water is muddy, and the walls are crumbled, and, at the center of it all, is the beast. It’s bathing itself in pond, and Prompto swears a moment of vulnerability like that won’t go unpunished.

He lays on the ground at the top of the ravine, looking down at the beast as he cocks his gun. He presses his face to the it, closes one eye, aims down the sights, slows his breathing.

“Easy now.” He says to himself, looking for a weak spot between the plates upon plates of horned armor. “Easy, easy.” And he fires a shot straight into its neck between two rows of body armor, grinning as the beast wails in pain and collaspes onto the ground into a shuddering heap. “Easy thousand gil.” He fires another shot down into the crease of its neck, watching for a couple more minutes, waiting. Bandersnatches are notorious for playing dead and Prompto doesn’t want to take any chances because he has people waiting for him back at Hammerhead, and he sure as hell doesn’t want to disappoint them.

He sets his rifle on the ground and slides down into the pit after a couple minutes pass, already holding his knife in one hand, ready to pry off a claw from the beast.

But the beast is far from finished, and once Prompto has slid all the way down the side of the ravine, the beast stands from the spot where it had fallen. It lets out a thunderous howl, and Prompto finds himself stuck at the bottom. The walls are too steep to try to climb his way out.

He freezes in place, facing down the gigantic beast with just a knife and the pistol at his side. He’s faced way worse before, but he’s a little rusty after being away from Duscae for so long.

Time slows as the bandersnatch lowers its head, digging into the soft ground with one hoofed foot. Prompto’s breath catches in his throat as it starts to charge, just barely dodging the sharpened horn by diving to the side. The beast is fast though, faster than all the bandersnatches that Prompto remembers fighting, because as soon as he stands, the side of the beasts head collides with his back.

He hits the ground with a yelp, hands burying into wet soil to break his fall. His vision swirls as the beast above him growls, and Prompto can’t tell whether it’s from the fall or the panic icing over his veins. The bandersnatch is nosing at his back now, brushing along his shirt with that damned horn, and Prompto can’t move in fear of impaling himself on it. He just needs to stay calm and take a shot when he has the chance, preferably when the bandersnatch isn’t close enough to maul him before he can shoot the thing in the eye.

There’s a shout from somewhere above him, a gunshot following shortly after, and the beast turns from his back to snarl at the top of the ravine. When he looks towards the top of the cliff, there’s a silhouette of a man, but that’s all he has time to see before large hands are pulling him up from the ground.

“Are you alright?” When he looks up, Gladio’s looking down at him, pressing him close to his waist. A high pitched noise erupts from somewhere, and it takes him too long to figure out that it was coming from him. “Hey, hey.” Gladio says as he starts to pull Prompto towards the area where the walls aren’t as steep and they’ll be able to climb out of the ravine. “You need to answer me.”

“Gladio, incoming!” That’s Noct’s voice, coming from somewhere behind him. That man on the cliff must be-

He loses his train of thought when Gladio shoves him to the side, seizing up when the beast barrels its way between the two of them.

“Gladio, I’m out of bullets! I’m coming down there-”

“Fuck no, you aren’t! You keep your ass up there!” Gladio yells back at Noct, hurriedly picking Prompto up from the ground again. “Blondie, I need an answer!” Prompto summons all of his energy to nod. “You still got that pistol of yours?” He nods again, and the beast is circling around for another charge. “Can you shoot?” Can he? His arm is heavy but he’s had worse. He nods. The ground is trembling beneath his feet, but his pistol is steady in his hand. “Go for the eye.” Gladio says, and the second the bullet leaves his gun, everything slows. Prompto is pushed to the side, watching in terror as Gladio faces the beast head on. He watches as Gladio dodges the first horn and then..

And then Gladio - he just punches the bandersnatch right in the eye. And Six be damned if that wasn’t the hottest thing he’s ever seen.

Prompto’s not really sure how he did it, or what happened in between, but the next thing he knows, Gladio’s pulling him back to his feet to look over the fallen beast.

“Is it dead?” Noct shouts from the top of the cliff. “Please tell me it’s dead and Prompto’s alive!”

“He’s fine!” Gladio shouts back, draping Prompto’s arm over his shoulder to help carry him. “We’re gonna get you outta here, alright? We’re going back to Hammerhead.”

And Prompto manages one more nod before he blacks out in Gladio’s arms.

* * *

When he wakes up again, he’s back at the inn, washed and clean and surrounded by warmth. Noct is on one side, curled up against Prompto’s chest, his hand tight in Prompto’s shirt. Gladio is on the other side, one arm underneath his head and the other thrown all the way across Prompto’s body to wrap around Noct’s waist.

And Cindy’s above them all, tapping at Prompto’s cheek.

“Hey.” She whispers when Prompto finally meets her eyes. “You awake?”

“I am now.” His voice is rough with sleep and dull pain. “Whaddya want?”

“How was the gun?” And that’s Cindy for you. Always right to the point.

“It was great, perfect, the best gun I’ve ever had.” Prompto says, and that’s not completely sarcasm. It’s just a pretty great weapon, balanced well.

Cindy giggles. “Well, that’s all I wanted to ask ya.” She starts to turn away, heading back towards the open door of their room. “Y’all look good together, real cute.” And she gives him a thumbs up and leaves, but his face is all red and there’s no way he can sleep now. Not with Noct’s fingers are flexing into his shirt around his heart. Not with Gladio’s nuzzling into his hair. Not when he can feel every breath they exhale on his body, hypersensitive to every fluttering sensation against his skin.

This is torture, he thinks, but it’s the best kind of torture, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't go underestimating bandersnatches, it's bad for your health. also slowly but surely getting into ot4 category, so i might start tagging other pairings
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and subs and comments!!
> 
> edit: forgot to mention this, but Prompto's rifle is based on a winchester lever action rifle (specifically the 1892) (i kinda wanted to go for some sort of bolt action, just because i like the reloading aspect of them)


	5. Chapter 5

Prompto, by grace of the Six, somehow manages to fall back asleep, snuggled up in between Noct and Gladio, but when he wakes up again, he’s alone in a cold, empty bed. The light from the windows hits him straight in the eyes, and he misses the feeling of his two - two partners, companions, friends? 

He’s not really sure what to call them. Do they like him in the same way that he likes them? He’s still a little confused about Gladio in particular, but he let him sleep in the bed with Noct, brought him coffee yesterday morning, and punched a fucking bandersnatch for him, so Prompto feels like he can trust him. Not in the same way he trusts Noct, not yet, but Gladio’s slowly moving up in his list of people he can trust.

When he sits up in bed, his entire back aches, and there’s a chuckle that comes from the door. He rubs his back and looks over to see Cid sitting with his back against the wall, rifle thrown haphazardly across his lap.

“It’s ‘bout time ya woke up.” He says, and he takes the opportunity to stand, using his rifle as a crutch. “I’ve been waitin’. You had us all worried about ya.” His face is wrinkled around the edges, but there’s a smile there somewhere, and it makes Prompto’s heart soar. 

“Sorry sir!” His voice is chipper, and he can’t help the smile that radiates off him. But it soon falls away because Cid’s does, replaced by a furrowed brow and a solemn frown. Prompto gulps.

“I know what yer doing, boy.” He says, and Prompto’s heart drops, the comfortability of Cid is slowly overtaken by his own unease. A pit of festering anger burns deep in his gut. “It needs to stop now. You got people dependin’ on you, like Noct and Gladio and Cindy, and me. I depend on you too.” 

“I need to do this.” Prompto grinds out, and his hands clench in the sheets of the bed. He has to. Do this. He has to. “He’ll pay. He’ll pay for what he did to me. He’ll pay for everything he took from me. Even if it costs me my life, I’ll make him pay.” 

“Success is the best revenge, Prompto.” Cid says, and he strides forward to place a stiff hand on Prompto’s shoulder, squeezing slightly. “Forget about him and live your life to the fullest.”   


“I need closure.” Prompto shrugs off the hand on his shoulder, looking out towards the window and away from Cid. The ember of anger in his gut is now a full-fledged fire. “I need closure.” 

There’s a moment of silence. “Your mother wouldn’t like this one bit.” Cid says, and the anger that had been building inside Prompto finally explodes. Cid’s right, his mother wouldn’t want this, he knows that, he’s not stupid, but she’s not here anymore, and he needs this. He needs the closure.

“Don’t you dare talk about my mom!” And Cid finally backs away, watching as Prompto struggles to contain the anger and the grief that bubbles up inside him. It feels like he’s losing her all over again. He curls his legs up into his chest, quickly wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall. “Don’t talk about her like you gave a shit. Get out.” 

“Prompto.” Cid starts again, but Prompto cuts him off with a glare.

“I said get out.” He growls, but Cid just looks at him with an expression of pity and remorse, and pity is one of the things he hates the most. “Get out!” He shouts again, and Cid finally moves, back towards the door, but he pauses just before he leaves.

“You’re going down the wrong path, Prompto.” He says, and Prompto hugs his legs tighter to his chest, burying his face into his knees. “I can only hope you realize this before you get hurt.”

* * *

 

Cindy’s making breakfast in the kitchen when he finally emerges from his room, but Noct and Gladio are sitting in the breakfast room, waiting for him at a square table with four seats. 

“Well, there you are!” Gladio exclaims, smirking from his chair as Prompto sits. “Good morning, Sunshine.” 

“Good morning to you too, big guy.” Prompto jabs back, swatting playfully at Gladio’s upper arm. “And good mornin’ Noct.” But Noct doesn’t look pleased in the slightest.

“It’d be a better morning if Cid didn’t kick us out to talk to you.” He says, covering his yawn with a hand. “What’d he even want to talk to you about?” 

“Nothing really, just wanted to make sure I was okay.” They both seem to buy his excuse, and Cindy comes out of the kitchen a minute later with eggs and platter of biscuits. After placing all the plates on the table, she turns to Prompto, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and placing a fat wet kiss on his cheek. 

“How’s my baby cousin doing this morning?” She asks, cheek resting upon his head. Prompto groans as he wipes the spit off his face. 

“I’d be better if you didn’t kiss me like that.” He says, and she immediately kisses his other cheek with just as much spit as the first kiss. “Gross, stop!” But he can’t help the laugh that escapes him, and Cindy laughs too, ruffling up his hair when she pulls away. 

“I didn’t know you two were cousins.” Noct says through a mouthful of biscuit, like he expects an explanation, and it seems Cindy is more than happy to give it to him. 

“Yup!” She chirps, resting her elbow on Prompto’s head. “Our moms were twins.”

Noct furrows his brow, looking between Cindy and Prompto. “So, does that mean Cid’s your grandpa too?” 

Prompto starts to answer but Cindy beats him to it. “Nah, Cid’s my grandpa on my dad’s side, not my mom’s.”

And speak of the devil, because Cid chooses that moment to hobble out from the kitchen and towards them. 

“Cindy.” He says, and she turns away from the table to meet his gaze. “I need to speak with you. Outside.” She ruffles Prompto’s hair one more time before she follows Cid outside to the porch.

Prompto eats in silence while the others converse between bites. It’s all pretty normal, comfortable even, like this was how it was always supposed to be. It’s as he’s spreading jam on a biscuit that they finally turn to him. 

“So, we were talking,” Noct says. “And we think that it’s probably about time we head on from here.” Noct shrugs slightly. “If you feel up to it. I know your back probably hurts and -”   


“My back’s fine.” It’s not fine, it hurts a lot actually, and everytime he moves there’s the ache of bruised skin, but Prompto’s pretty sure he’s overstayed his welcome, especially with Cid. “I think it’s about time we get outta here.”

* * *

 

Prompto’s packing up his saddle bag when Cindy comes to him again. In her hand is a box full of extra ammunition for his new rifle, and on her face is an expression of worry, masked poorly by a smile.

“Free of charge.” She says, and her eyebrows knit together when he takes the box from her. “Paw-paw told me what you’re doing.” Prompto starts to open his mouth to argue, but Cindy shushes him with a finger to his lips. “I know nothing I say will stop ya, so just take the ammunition and kick that bastard’s ass for me, alright?” 

“Thank you.” He says quietly, packing the small box into the saddlebag. When he turns back to her, her arms are outstretched, asking silently for a hug goodbye. 

“I don’t know when you’ll be back.” She says, and she sounds so heartbroken, so he hugs her goodbye, savoring in the way she clutches his head to her neck and the feeling of her fingers woven tight in his hair. “Be safe, okay?” 

“I will.” He says, and then there’s a sharp shrill whistle behind him, and, when he turns around, Gladio and Noct are already on their horses. 

“Come on, Blondie, we don’t have all day!” Gladio shouts at him, and Noct whistles again. They’re smiling back at him, and it almost makes him forget every bad feeling he’s had this morning, between the anger and the grief and the lies. Somehow being with these two chases all that away and leaves the good stuff behind. 

“I can’t believe you like them.” Cindy whispers to him. “They’re just so -” 

“Amazing.” He finishes it for her, because they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, i kinda wanna skip writing the next two chapters just so i can get to writing Iggy, but i know it wouldnt make much sense without the buildup and thats a giant feelsbadman. I'm just tryin to get through these couple intro chapters so i can finally start writing the good stuff.
> 
> so uh, if you feel like it's going too slow or too fast, just let me know cuz im generally really bad with pacing and stuff. 
> 
> also, if anyone is interested in adhd memes, bi/gay stuff, and video game jokes: [here is my tumblr](http://switchblades34.tumblr.com/) (its also got a writing tag, but meh i havent written that much stuff so idk)
> 
> sorry this chapter was so short!


	6. Chapter 6

The first night of camping, and the stars are out again, bright against the dark sky. The campfire crackles in its pit, and the beasts of the Weaverwilds howl across the night.

Noct is bored, not terribly so, but enough to make him lay on his back and trace the constellations again, following the Glacian with one stray finger. Gladio sits next to him, reading one of his books by firelight. His hair is all greasy, and he stinks of sweat, but Noct is probably in the same condition, so who is he to judge.

And then there’s Prompto, sitting alone on the other side of the campfire. His back is to Noct, hunched over the ground where his cards are spread out, deep into a second game of solitaire.

As Noct watches, Prompto makes a noise of annoyance and gathers the cards up, shaking the sand from them before he shuffles and lays out the third game of solitaire in fifteen minutes. His shoulders are tense and drawn up to his neck in a way Noct knows is uncomfortable, and Noct can see the way his hands shake with every move. It doesn’t look like he’s having fun playing by himself.

“Prompto.” He turns when Noct calls to him, and the fire casts an orange glow over his face and hair, but his eyebrows are knitted together and his mouth twisted into a grimace. Gladio looks up too, putting his book aside when he sees the expression on Prompto’s face. “Do you know any other card games?” He asks, and Prompto perks up instantly. The pained expression is gone now, replaced by a soft smile.

“I know Leiden hold’em.” He says, crawling around the campfire until he’s kneeling in front of Noct. “I also know blackjack too, and bullshit.”

“Bullshit?” Noct has heard of the other two before, but never had the chance to play them. He’s never heard of bullshit before though, but it sounds like a fun game, if he can judge a game by its name. Who wouldn’t want to play a game called bullshit?

Gladio looks intrigued as well, if his wide eyes and raised eyebrows say anything about it.

“Y’all don’t know bullshit?” Prompto asks, shuffling his cards again idly. “It’s pretty easy. I can teach you if you want.”

So he does, dealing out the cards and explaining the rules, and they spend an hour playing it, yelling bullshit and laughing into the night. By the end of it, Prompto’s hands aren’t shaking anymore, and his shoulders are relaxed.

It’s as they’re finishing up the last game that Noct takes a good look at the back of the playing cards. It happened by accident, the wind blew a couple of cards away before Prompto could pick them up, and Noct goes to grab them before they can fly away. And then he really sees them.

The cards have a motif of a woman riding a unicorn, surrounded by fields of beautiful blue flowers and grey skies. It’s a very pretty design, Noct thinks, intricate, and so much so that it might take him two or three more looks before he can see all the little details. They must have been expensive.

“Where did you get these cards?” He asks, and the smile that was painting Prompto’s face drops completely, overtaken by an expression of unease. Gladio notices the change too, and glares at Noct slightly.

But Prompto plasters a fake smile on quickly. It’s shaky and transparent, and he grabs the cards to put them away. “A friend gave them to me.” He says hastily, packing the cards back into their case. His hands start to shake again, and Noct decides to drop it. It seems like he brought up bad memories that he didn’t mean to.

Prompto douses the fire with some sand and lays down beside Noct and Gladio, his back to both of them. He looks so lonely, like he’s trying to take up as little space under the blanket as possible, and it’s unnerving to see the blond this obviously distraught. Noct looks to Gladio for help, a suggestion, maybe some backup, but Gladio just shrugs and nods towards Prompto. It’s up to Noct to break Prompto out of this funk.

“Hey Prompto.” He starts, waiting for Prompto to give him some indication that he’s listening. When he huffs and flips over to face him, Noct smiles. It’s hard to see in the dark, but the moon is bright enough for him to the splatters of freckles on Prompto’s cheeks that mimic the stars in the sky above. “It’s kinda cold out. C’mere.” A weak but genuine smile finally makes its way onto Prompto’s face. The worry and unease are still there, but Prompto’s hand finds his and Noct’s heart flutters again.

Gladio pats his head affectionately, and then ruffles Prompto’s hair with a thick hand. “Fun game, sunshine.” He says, and Noct watches as the smile on Prompto’s face only widens at the nickname. “We should play it again some time.”

* * *

The next day is spent travelling, and Prompto talks about all the sights and all the green in Duscae, and the next night is clear too.

They play bullshit that night too, complete with laughing and little nudges and stray elbows and bright smiles.

And when they lie down to sleep, all curled up into each other with Gladio in the middle, he smiles as he holds them both close. Noct is already snoring by the time Prompto speaks from his place at Gladio’s side, and his voice is so quiet that Gladio has to strain to hear.

“Gladio.” Prompto whispers lazily into his neck, and he grunts slightly. “That friend, the one that gave me the cards, I think you’d like him.”

“Oh yeah?” Gladio says, using a hand to rub Prompto’s arm sleepily. He smiles as Prompto laughs, nuzzling deeper into his neck. “Why do you say that?” Prompto’s hand comes up to his shoulder, gripping Gladio closer to him and resting his head in the crook of his neck.

“I dunno..” Prompto trails off into a yawn, eyes fluttering closed. He gives Gladio a sleepy smile, and Gladio thinks he must be delirious with fatigue. “You just remind me of him.” He says, yawning again as he pulls the blanket up to his chin. He lets Gladio’s shoulder pillow his head. “And Nea, you’d like Nea too.” Prompto slurs the last bit, and Gladio chuckles softly.

“Alright, it’s bedtime for you. You’ll have to tell me about them some other time.” He whispers, and strokes back some of Prompto’s blond hair as he watches him slip into sleep.

His face is so plump squished upon Gladio’s shoulder, and he can’t help but watch the moonlight illuminate the small bounty hunter, lighting up all the freckles and the wisps of blond hair, before he slips into unconsciousness himself.

* * *

When Gladio asks him about ‘Nea’ the next day, Prompto hedges and waves away the questions as much as he can, so Gladio drops it. He spends the rest of the day devising a plan to get Prompto to tell him. He’s so lost in thought that he doesn’t realize that the hills in the distance are actually much closer until Prompto is stopping them at the crossroads.

They had been riding with Noct and Gladio side-by-side and Prompto out in front, but Prompto pulls his horse to turn horizontal, blocking the road for now. “Do you think your horses can handle a little bit of a hike?” Prompto asks, as he pets through the mane of his own horse. “If so, we can take the mountain route, but otherwise we should go right here.” When Gladio looks up, the Malacchi Hills are in front of him, lush green at the bottom and craggy at the top. Gladio’s never had the pleasure of coming this close to them. It’s so different from the arid desert of Leide, and it’s right here, almost close enough to touch.

Noct is the first to answer. “Carbuncle is pretty young, so he should be able to make it.” He says, and somehow Carbuncle knows to answer with a whinny.

But then he looks to his own horse, an old warhorse by the name of Valor that his father trained, and suddenly he’s not sure that Valor can make the continuous climb.

“I don’t know if he’ll be able to make it.” Gladio says, and he pets Valor’s mane softly. “We might have to take some breaks on the way up.”

Prompto smiles, rearranging his hat slightly when his own horse jostles him. “That’s alright, we’re gonna camp at the top anyways.” He steers his horse to continue on the path towards the small mountain range. “It’s a beautiful view from the top. Worth the hike.”

* * *

They don’t make it to the summit before the sun sets, and it’s dark by the time they make camp. Prompto starts a small fire, just enough to give them some light. The horses browse around the top of the mountain for something edible, but it’s mostly rock with very little vegetation. Gladio has the answer though, as he pulls a small bag of feed from his saddlebags and settles on hand feeding each horse.

The rock makes it uncomfortable to sleep on and the air is frigid at the top, but Prompto seems unaffected and Noct is more than a little jealous. He’s standing next to the fire, clad only in a thin shirt and pants, and Noct can see his breath when he exhales. He looks off into the night, a small smile playing on his lips, and then he turns to Noct.

He looks so comfortable and controlled, maybe even happy. His hands are steady and relaxed, and his smile grows even wider.

“This is it.” He says, plopping himself down next to Noct. “You’re going to have a helluva view tomorrow morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i played like 20 games of solitaire as i wrote this but it was so worth it
> 
> also it's relieving to hear that the pacing seems okay, but i swear iggys coming in, like, the next two chapters or so (im like super hype i finally get to write him ngl)


	7. Chapter 7

The morning comes so fast, and before he knows it, Noct is being shaken awake. He’s groggily complaining as he sits up, but the look on Gladio’s face shuts him up quick.

“Noct, you.. you gotta see this.” Gladio says, and if his awestruck expression is anything to go by, Noct really does need to see this.

Prompto is off to the side, with his pistol taken apart and a dirty rag to clean each piece. When Noct locks eyes with him, Prompto smiles knowingly and nods towards the edge of the campsite.

Gladio pulls him to his feet, and that’s when he sees it, the rolling expanse of green that covers everything he can see. The lakes that reflect the sky and the clouds, the sheer green that envelopes the hills, and in the distance is the Disc of Cauthess, with its magnificent pillars and splashes of crystal rock. The way the sunlight peers through the clouds to hit the green of the fields is astonishing. It’s like the Astrals above have blessed Duscae.

Noct is in awe, and he doesn’t know how long he spends staring out at Duscae, taking it all in. It’s more green than he’s ever seen.

“Is it everything you hoped for?” Prompto says, and Noct turns to find him sitting by his side. He can’t contain the wide grin.

“It’s better.” He looks at Prompto, mesmerized by his golden hair and his eyes the color of the sky, and his heart thumps when Prompto smiles back. “It’s better than I could’ve ever hoped.”

* * *

The slough is the first thing Noct wants to see, so Prompto takes him. It’s only three hours down the side of the mountain, though much steeper than yesterday’s journey up the other side. It passes by quickly though, because all Noct can see is the lush green of the trees and the vivid blue of the sky, and the light that breaks through the clouds to illuminate the forest around him. He spends the passing hours looking around at all the verdant scenery until Prompto pulls him aside.

“What are you going to do once we get there? You just gonna stare at it?” He asks, and Noct pauses. He hadn’t really thought that much about it, but he did bring some fishing line from Insomnia.

Before he knows it, he’s reaching into his saddlebag to retrieve the roll of line, smiling as he holds up the roll for Prompto to see. “I think I’m gonna find myself a long stick, tie this on, and go fishing. It’s been way too long since I had a relaxing fishing day.” He says, and Prompto turns up his nose.

“Fisherman, huh? You got a lotta places to fish in Insomnia?” Prompto asks, and Noct is reminded of his childhood and trips with his father and days spent at the oceanside with fishing rods in their hands. He smiles at the memories.

“It’s mostly just the ocean.” He says. “My father and I would take fishing trips out to the oceanside, but we haven’t done that since he got sick.” Noct misses those days.

They ride in silence for a minute longer, before Prompto turns to him once again. “Sounds like you’re close to your dad.” Prompto tilts his hat down, hiding his eyes from Noct’s curious gaze.

“I guess I am. Never really thought about it though.” Noct says, and he puts the fishing line back in his saddlebag. He thinks about all the days they spent together, regardless of his father’s growing illness. How he’d hold him in lieu of his absent mother, comforting and warm. But now he’s suddenly aware of how little he knows about Prompto. He wonders if his father did the same thing, or if he was the distant commanding type like Gladio’s is. “How about you? What's your dad like?” He asks, and Prompto trains his gaze on the side of the road, silent save for the stuttered breathing.

“I didn’t really know my dad.” He says finally, and Noct can see the ghost of a smile under the rim on his hat. “Never did my mom or me any favors. All I’ve got to remember him by is this gun.” He flips his shirt up to flash his pistol. “Good gun though. Shoots straight.”

“I’m sorry.” Noct says, and Prompto looks at the road ahead, eyebrows furrowed together over his forehead in confusion.

“Why?” Noct doesn’t really know why, it was a spur of the moment apology, perhaps for Prompto’s loneliness or his muddled past. Noct shrugs.

“It sounds like you had a shitty childhood without a dad. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories.” This prompts a smile from Prompto, and Noct is frozen in place by the sound of his laughter.

“You’re really something, aren’t ya?” He says, and he finally meets Noct’s gaze quickly, just a flash of contact before Prompto looks back at the road. “It wasn’t all bad though. I don’t regret it at all, ‘cause it made me into the man I am today, so..” His smile is faint when he trails off, as though it was supposed to be a comforting gesture, a promise that he’s fine, and Noct takes the opportunity to look him over. His eyes wander over toned muscles and strong legs, blonde hair and groups of freckles, and he can’t help the slip.

“And quite the man you are.” Noct instantly flushes, and he hears Gladio snort from his own horse behind them. But Prompto just blinks and raises an eyebrow, and somehow manages to look sultry while doing so. Noct gulps as Prompto flashes him a cheeky grin.

“Feel free to come find out how man I am anytime.” Prompto winks at him, and his entire face feels like it’s on fire. The thought of that lithe body beneath his, or perhaps on top, has Noct shifting uncomfortably in the saddle, but he’s quickly snapped out of his thoughts when Gladio groans.

“I’m right here.” He huffs, and when Noct turns, he can see Gladio’s nostrils flaring, eyebrows furrowed in what he assumes is anger. Prompto turns as well, giving Gladio a smirk.

“Don’t be too jealous now. That offer’s for you too, big guy.” He says, winking back at him. “I don’t mind sharing.”

* * *

The fishing area Prompto shows him is great, and he catches enough fish for two nights worth of dinner, but the downside is that he has to pretend not to see Prompto and Gladio making eyes at each other. They’re exchanging deep, longing glances over the bridge of a book or over a game of solitaire, and Noct is left regretting he ever made that stupid comment in the first place.

He pretends not to hear the two of them locked in hushed conversation as he dangles his feet over the dock of the lake. There’s a pull on his hook, so focuses on that and he doesn’t hear the stomp of boots over the dock as he pulls the fish from the lake. He smiles as he stands, turning to show off the latest fish when he comes face to face with Prompto.

He’s so close, sliding a hand over Noct’s shoulder, and taking the fish to throw it behind him on the dock. His hand squeezes the flesh of Noct’s neck as he pulls him closer. “Hey.” Prompto whispers, and now he’s close enough to feel Prompto’s breath on his lips.

“H-Hi.” He can faintly hear Gladio’s muffled laughter from down at the shore, but Prompto’s mouth is so close, and Noct’s eyes start to close, just waiting to feel those lips sliding against his own.

But the feeling never comes, and the hand on his shoulder moves down, hovering over the center of Noct’s chest before he pushes, and Noct goes tumbling into the lake instead. He ends up flopping onto his back painfully, groaning as the icy sensation of the slough water surrounds his body.

He resurfaces just in time to see Gladio barreling down the dock at full speed with the widest smile he’s even seen. Prompto looks behind him with just enough time to shake his head, but it’s in vain as the giant man rams straight into him, sending them both crashing into the water beside Noct.

Prompto is clinging to Gladio’s torso when they come up for air, and Noct thinks he looks like a wet cat, with his fingers sunk deep into Gladio’s shirt.

Gladio laughs, supporting Prompto’s lower back as he treads water for the both of them. “What’s wrong, afraid of a little water?” Prompto glares at him, clinging even tighter.

“Can’t swim.” He grinds out, and Gladio goes silent. He’s got a thoughtful look on his face, and then he smiles, and Noct thinks he’s going to tease Prompto when he opens his mouth again. 

But Gladio proves him wrong. “Do you want me to teach you?” He asks, and Prompto hesitantly nods, so they spend the rest of that day teaching Prompto the basics.

When the sun starts to go down, Prompto insists that they make their way to a nearby town for the night, and both Gladio and Noct follow behind obediently, driven by the idea of a warm bed and soft pillows.

* * *

The sun has already set when they ride into Alstor, a small town overlooking the slough. It was a quick journey up the rocky road to get to the town, but Prompto tells them that it’s worth it to get away from the bugs and the muck for the night.

And Noct is secretly happy to spend one night in a bed. It’s only been a couple days since Hammerhead, but his back is already sore from sleeping on the ground so much. He absently pets Carbuncle’s mane as he thinks about the softness of a bed.

Prompto is beside him, whistling a small tune as his horse (named Cinnamon, as he’d told them earlier) sways along, whinnying at the times when Prompto pauses for breath. Noct thinks it’s cute, watching Prompto enjoy himself with his horse, and the way they’re so in sync with each other.

When Noct asks about the whistling and whinnying, Prompto replies. “It’s a trained thing.” And continues on whistling like he’d never stopped.

They end up in front of the town’s stable, and Noct and Gladio dismount, preparing to turn their horses in and cash in on that promise of a bed, but Prompto stays seated in his saddle. He whistles out a series of four notes, loud and clear, and not only does his own horse respond, but a stabled horse whinnies at him as well.

Noct hears him mutter under his breath, cursing, and when he turns to Prompto, the blond is handing the reins of Cinnamon to him.

“Hold these.” He says, and Noct does, gripping Cinnamon close to him as Prompto ventures into the stable by himself.

When he returns, his face is as pale as the moonlight, and he’s chewing on his lower lip anxiously. “We can’t stay here.” He says.

“Wait, why not?” Noct asks but Prompto doesn’t answer. He just mounts his horse and heads towards the edge of town, ignoring the way Noct and Gladio shout after him. They follow him out of the town, of course, up winding roads and steep climbs, until they’re at a campsite high above the little town of Alstor, and it’s no more than a light in the distance.

No matter how hard Noct tries, with little rubs and muttered assurances, Prompto doesn’t speak. He falls asleep without uttering a word, and Noct is left clinging to him like his life depends on it. Whatever he saw in that stable, Noct wants him to forget it. He wants his friend back.

* * *

Gladio wakes up the next morning to the sound of gunfire and screaming, and he instinctively throws his body over Noct’s, shielding him from anything that may come.

But nothing comes, and it takes him a groggy minute to come to his senses. The gunfire is faint, as is the sound of screaming, and it’s only now that Gladio realizes that the noise is far off in the distance.

He sits up and looks towards Alstor, watching the way the small people scurry around the town, into buildings, jumping small fences, and he sees a lone rider hightail it out of Alstor. The rider’s got a man slung over his saddle, all tied up and limp as he hangs over the horse.

That rider disappears for a couple minutes, lost among the chaos that is Alstor, and it’s then that Gladio realizes that Prompto is missing. He looks over the mountainside, searching desperately for him, before he finally spots Cinnamon in the distance, grazing along with Valor and Carbuncle. He sighs in relief, but that relief goes cold instantly, replaced by the feeling of growing horror.

The rider from Alstor makes his way up the mountainside, riding a horse Gladio’s never seen before. His face hidden by a black bandana and his hands are clutching desperately to the body hanging from his horse.

Gladio’s eyes narrow as the rider dismounts and gently lowers the unconscious man onto the ground. Gladio growls slightly when the rider looks up at him, but all he can see are his big blue eyes, grim but unyielding. He shudders.

“Prompto.” He grinds out, placing himself between a sleeping Noct and the bounty hunter with a swift step. “What. Did. You. Do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meh, not really happy with the quality of this chapter, but at least i finished it so now i can finally start to write all the good conflict that i want, also next chapter is gonna be prompto pov so at least itll be fun :P


	8. Chapter 8

Prompto’s eyes are the only part of him he trusts, yet he doesn’t know if he can anymore.

But he knows what he saw, or he thinks he does. He hadn’t seen that horse in years. This is either a miracle or he’s walking into a trap. If it is a miracle though..

The moon is low in the sky when he shifts out of Noct’s arms, and the night air blows over him, leaving behind goosebumps now that he's away from the blanket. He gets his guns from his saddlebag, slinging the rifle over his shoulder and tucking his pistol into the waistband of his pants. But he pauses before he leaves for Alstor, looking back at the two curled under the blanket without him.

The moonlight illuminates Noct’s face, a pale cream against the stark black of his hair. Like a prince, Prompto thinks, a beautiful prince who has no idea what the world is really like, with curious eyes and warm arms.

And Gladio, the hopeless romantic who’d been whispering sultry promises earlier that day, with his rugged looks and charming smile that has Prompto practically swooning every time it’s directed at him.

He doesn’t want them to think less of him, but if he passes up this opportunity now, he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.

So he kneels next to Noct, tilting his face up and watching as those dark eyelashes flutter underneath his fingertips. “I’m sorry.” He whispers, and he leans in, planting a small kiss at the corner of Noct’s mouth.

Then he kneels at Gladio’s side, brushing his long hair aside as he cradles his face. “Forgive me.” He whispers, tucking a strand of chestnut hair behind his ear as a swoops down, placing a soft kiss on his stubbled cheek.

And then he stands, turning towards the small town of Alstor where he knows he’s waiting for him. He can feel it deep in his bones, Iggy’s there somewhere.

* * *

The town is quiet when he arrives at the gate, and he sticks to the shadows as he sneaks through it, careful to keep his face hidden as much as possible. The last thing he needs is a real bounty on his head, one that Gladio can’t force them to remove.

He makes his way to the stable first, just to get another good look at that horse and make sure his ears weren’t deceiving him.

The horse whinnies when he whistles, just like she’s trained to do, and Prompto smiles despite himself, reaching up to pet her forehead. “Hey Ellie, remember me?” The horse snorts, nudging up into his hand.

Ellie is a white horse, with her elegant mane done up in a braid, just how Iggy likes it, and he’s  never met anyone else who braided their horse’s mane like that. He checks her saddlebags just to be sure, coming up with a deck of cards, the backs of which have the same dark blue flowers and grey skies in the background, and now he’s positive that Iggy’s here. He just needs to find him.

“Alright Ellie, wait here.” He says, and follows the command with a rub on her nose. Ellie reminds him so much of Ignis, elegant and regal and so, so sweet. He has to find him.  
  
When he finishes in the stable, the sky is bright orange in anticipation of the coming sunrise, and Prompto has to find a scouting spot as quick as possible, before the town is alive with morning commotion.

He chooses the top of the general store because it’s in the center of everything, still close to the stable, and he pulls himself up through two balconies to get to the roof. It proves to be a even better spot than he thought, because the sign for the store blocks him from view and the storefront faces west, with the sun rising behind him.

He messes with his rifle for a couple minutes, waiting for the people of Alstor to wake as he keeps an eye out for Iggy, with his exotic voice and deft hands. The sun shields him from view as it rises, but there’s no sign of Ignis anywhere.

But he has to be here somewhere, he has to be, because Ellie is here. He peeks over the sign of the general store, scouring each and every townsperson for the details that define Iggy, high cheekbones, furrowed eyebrows, thin lips, but he sees nothing. The morning goes on like normal, with two women chatting together next to the butcher’s shop, children chasing each other down the street, a man chopping lumber and a group of girls giggling as they stare, but no Ignis.

And then the people gather around the center of town, swarming near the gallows outside of the jail. There’s a marshall preparing the noose of the gallows, and a man being lead out of the jail with a bag over his head and arms tied behind his back. As the sheriff brings him towards the gallows, Prompto can’t look away. He watches as they set the man in front of the noose, removing the bag as they go.

Prompto freezes in place instantly. There, standing on the gallows, awaiting death, is Ignis. Ignis is here, _Ignis is here._

He collapses behind the sign, clutching his rifle against his chest as his heart thumps wildly. He can’t even believe it himself, but his eyes don’t lie. _Ignis is right there._

When he turns back, the noose is around Ignis’ neck tight, and the marshall is reading out his condemnation. He doesn’t have a lot of time before they hang him, he has to rescue him.

The whistle leaves his lips before he has a chance to think about it, high pitched notes that sound like a bird to unknowing souls, and he watches from the rooftop as Ignis’ eyes go wide.

Those sounds mean wait, stall, waste as much time as you can because help is on the way. Ignis saved his life once, and now he’s here to return the favor.

He jumps from the roof, and though he goes straight into a roll when he hits the ground, his ankles still throb in agony. But he doesn’t have the time to nurse his sprains, running through the pain and the adrenaline to get back to the town’s stable.

The doors slam when he forces them open, and the sound reverberates in his ears. “Ellie.” He calls out through his stuttered breathing, limping towards her stall to unlock the gate. When she’s out, he pulls himself up into her saddle.

“Let’s go.” He says, pushing the stirrups into her sides, and she takes off, galloping through the town. He ties a bandana around his face as Ellie dashes in between buildings, before she comes to a stop in front of the crowd. They don’t acknowledge him at first, but Iggy sees him, and Prompto watches as his face contorts into disbelief, astonishment, and finally a smile passes over his face. His eyes are sunken in and his hair is a mess, but he’s here, and the law be damned if Prompto’s just going to sit here and watch them kill him.

“And Ignis Scientia, for the crimes of cheating at cards and theft of property, your punishment is to hang by the neck until dead..” The marshall trails off, following Ignis’ gaze, and the sheriff and the townsfolk follow in suite, watching him with curious eyes. The bandana feels tight around his face, and Prompto pulls his pistol from his waistband. He fires a warning shot into the air, watching as chaos erupts. People scream, people run, and he has a chance, an opening.

He uses that opening to shoot towards the lawmen, knocking the marshall’s gun straight out of his holster before he can react. Ellie rears up once he shoots, charging forward to ram her head into the sheriff, and Prompto jumps down, kicking the sheriff’s rifle from his hands. He follows it with a swift kick to the face, knocking him unconscious.

But he’s not quick enough, and as he turns, the marshall kicks the box out from under Ignis, and all Prompto can hear is the sound of choking and his blood rushing through his ears.

He lifts his rifle as fast as he can, aiming straight for the rope that’s holding Ignis above the ground. It’s a clear shot and his hands are steady, but the doubt still remains. What if he hits him? What if he shoots Iggy?

He doesn’t have a choice, he has to trust himself to make the shot.

He presses his face to the rifle, closing one eye, aiming down the sights, slowing his breathing, steadying his hands.

Everything slows around him. The crack of the gun is thundering in his ears, and he watches as Ignis falls from the gallows, the rope that was holding him up is severed by one clean shot. The marshall is yelling something, he’s got a gun trained on Prompto, but Ellie takes him out in one sturdy kick, knocking him unconscious as well.

The people around him are still screaming, bullets whip past him, but in the moment, all he can think about it Ignis, how he’s slumped over the wooden gallows, how he might’ve been too late.

A bullet flies straight, cutting through his shirt sleeve and skimming over his arm, and the pain is enough to snap him out of his haze.

He turns quickly to aim at the man that shot at him, managing to knock the man’s hat straight off and send him scrambling back, giving Prompto enough time to race towards the gallows.

“Ellie!” He calls, and she runs straight to him, watching as he climbs up onto the gallows to cradle Ignis to him. He rips off the noose as soon as he can, feeling desperately for a pulse. Ignis is bleeding from the back of his head from when he fell and his neck is bruised in the shape of a rope, but he’s breathing, and Prompto’s never been so relieved in his life.

“Oh, thank the Six.” He whispers, but he snaps out of it as another bullet flies past him, grazing over his calf with a hiss. He needs to move, he needs to get out before he really gets shot.

He aims at the man still shooting at him, forcing himself to miss the shot, baiting the man to find shelter so he has time to act. When that man takes refuge behind a small fence, Prompto moves, heaving Ignis up as quick as he can and over Ellie’s back. Once he’s secure, Prompto turns, shooting one more time at the man hiding behind the fence just to keep him down before he hops on Ellie and snaps the reins, forcing her into a gallop and leading her to the edge of town.

A final bullet finds its way through his leg as they’re approaching the gate, taking a chunk of his outside thigh off in the process. He lets loose a scream, and Ellie runs faster, straight out of the town.

He wants to vomit, or maybe to lay down and die because the pain is so bad, but he has to get Ignis out. So he stays awake for him, and, in the back of his mind, he knows he stays awake for Noct and Gladio too.

He leads Ellie up, through winding roads and steep climbs until he gets back, back to camp, back to Gladio’s cheesy jokes and Noct’s beautiful laughter and Gladio’s sweet smile and the way Noct holds his hand at night and..

He slips out of the saddle once he’s safe. Gladio’s awake in front of him, somewhere, but, even though he searches for him, Prompto can’t see him through the fog of pain.

It radiates from his very core, and it’s so bad, he just wants to sleep, but he can’t, not until Ignis.. Ignis is…

He spends the last bit of energy to lower Ignis to the ground, just in time to hear Gladio’s voice ring out, and Prompto can just barely tell that he’s angry, but everything sounds like it’s underwater to him, deep and distorted. Ignis is finally here, he thinks, and he places his forehead to Ignis’ chest, finally letting sleep take him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if i could imbue this note with any meme, it'd be the "i want to see my little boy" meme, cuz iggy's finally here!!!! 
> 
> this was like, THE flagship scene that got me writing this story in the first place, and I finally got to show it i hope you guys liked it!! the thought of Prompto shooting a noose is just really cool to me for some reason (or its just because bamf!prompto is my absolute fave), anyways i really hope yall liked this scene cuz its my fave so far!!


	9. Chapter 9

As soon as the words are out of Gladio’s mouth, Prompto keels over, and Gladio is left gaping. There’s a faint gurgling noise coming out of Prompto’s mouth, a hand twisting painfully into his pant leg, and Gladio’s only now starting to see the extent of his injuries through his anger.

“Prompto.” He calls, still standing between the blond and Noct. He takes a hesitant step closer, crouching down next to Prompto to take in his condition as well as he could. “Six, what did you do?” His hands hover over Prompto, unsure where to start. His entire pant leg is stained red with blood, and Gladio gently pulls Prompto’s fist away to see. “Six, what do _I_ do?” His breathing starts to come harder as shaky hands pull his own shirt off to press it over the wound on Prompto’s thigh.

He moves Prompto off the man as quick as he can, careful to not to jostle him as he sets him on his back next to a sleeping Noct. Prompto’s face is deathly pale, and Gladio is panicking.

“Noct.” He calls, nudging the other with his foot. “Noct, wake up!” Noct groans, turning away from Gladio, but he doesn't have time for Noct's bullshit. “Noctis Lucis Caelum,” he enunciates every word with a kick. “If you don’t wake up right now, I swear to the Six-”

“Alright, asshole, I’m awake.” He growls, but as soon as he sits up, he freezes, and the blood drains from his face entirely. “W-what happened? Is he okay?” He asks as he crawls towards Gladio, slowly coming to cradle Prompto’s face in his hands.

Gladio pulls the shirt off the wound, cursing when more blood bubbles at the cut. “He’s not dead, but I dunno if I can stop the bleeding, oh gods, what do I do?”

“I can.” Noct and Gladio turn as the man behind them speaks up, voice raspy around his bruised neck.

“Who the fuck are you?” Noct asks.

The man struggles to sit up, pulling uselessly at his bound hands. “Ignis Scientia, now please untie me.” He pleads. “Please, I have medical training and supplies in my saddlebags. I can save him.” 

Gladio looks from Ignis to Prompto’s pale face, still and emotionless, and then back to Ignis. He nods. “Alright, but as soon as he wakes up, the ropes are going back on.” And he goes back to pressing the shirt into Prompto’s leg, watching in dismay as the blood continues to soak through.

Noct’s already untying Ignis by the time Gladio agrees, but Ignis stands the moment the ropes drop from his wrists, staggering towards his horse. He sticks his hand into his saddlebag blindly, somehow managing to pull a roll of silk thread, a makeshift tourniquet, and a sewing kit from it.

“Put him on the blanket.” Ignis says, stumbling towards Prompto’s limp body, and Gladio complies, lifting and setting Prompto on top of the blanket. Ignis falls to his knees at Prompto’s side, peeling away the shirt before he stops. He pointedly hands the shirt back to Gladio. “You have to watch the road.” He says. “Just make sure to turn anyone away if they try to come up here. We can’t have the authorities interrupting me while I'm trying to sew him up.”

Gladio looks like he wants to argue, but he just snatches his shirt away from Ignis. It’s too blood soaked to wear though, so he drops it next to Noct as he starts to make his way towards the edge of camp.

“If he tries anything, you know what to do.” Gladio says as he passes Noct. “Just holler and I’ll be here.” He ruffles Noct’s hair in a gesture that’s supposed to be comforting, but Gladio’s body is stiff and it ends up more awkward than it’s supposed to be.

And once Gladio leaves, stumbling down the mountainside to guard them, it’s just Noct and Ignis and Prompto, who’s looking worse and worse at every passing second. Ignis fastens a makeshift tourniquet against Prompto’s leg, twisting and twisting until the blood slows. He motions for Noct to hold it steady as he reaches for the sewing supplies. Ignis’ hands shake as he attempts to thread the needle, and suddenly Noctis feels useless. There has to be something he can do beside sit here and hold the tourniquet while he cradles Prompto’s clammy face.

It’s like Ignis reads his mind. “You.” He says, and Noct’s head snaps up to see Ignis squinting at him. “My glasses should be in my saddlebags. Get them for me, please.” The please feels like an add on to a command, but Noct scrambles to grab his glasses anyways. He finds them almost instantly, quickly handing them to Ignis. The change is instant, and Ignis finally threads the needle on the first try.

And then Noct waits, watching as Ignis rips Prompto’s pant leg open even further, starting to weave the sutures into Prompto's skin, and everything is awfully quiet. Noct feels the need to fill the silence, perhaps to mask the squelch of blood or to try to forget the way Prompto’s face feels so cold against his hand.

“So, what’d they have you in for?” He asks, watching as Ignis’ eyes flick up momentarily before returning to the stitches against Prompto’s leg.

“Pardon?” Ignis takes a moment to dab at the sutures, wiping away some of the blood.

“Your neck.” Noct says, and traces his own neck in the shape of a noose. “You were being hung right? What for?”

“It’s hanged.” Ignis says. “And I believe they said it was for ‘cheating at cards and theft’ or some other bloody bogus excuse for a crime.”

“Were you cheating though?” Noct asks as he absently strokes Prompto’s cheek with a stray finger, wiping away some of the clammy sweat clinging to his face. Ignis scoffs.

“Hardly, they were so bloody awful at blackjack that I didn't need to cheat, and they got so angry because they lost, and kept losing.” He says, pushing his glasses up with the back of his hand.

“How much did they lose that made them try to hang you?”

“Twenty thousand gil, two houses, and the Marshall’s daughter’s hand in marriage, and that’s when they arrested me.”

“Oh man, a hand in marriage? You sly dog!” Noctis jokes, but Ignis remains stone faced, focused only on the medical procedure before him. He’s biting his lip in concentration, and Noct goes silent, careful not to distract Ignis. Noct swipes his hand over Prompto’s sweaty forehead again, tracing the freckles like he would stars in the sky.

When Ignis finishes with Prompto’s thigh, he takes the tourniquet from Noct to loosen it slightly, and Noct turns to focus all his attention on sweeping that blond hair back.

“How do you know Prompto?” Noct asks absently. Ignis sighs, and when Noct turns, Ignis’ smile is tired but genuine.

“It seems like we have a knack for saving each other at the most opportune of times.” Ignis says vaguely, pushing his glasses up haphazardly with the back of his hand. He takes Gladio’s shirt from where the other man dropped it, wiping his hands as clean as he can get them. "If he wakes up, keep him from sitting up."

Then he stands, heading towards the edge of camp with the muttered excuse of retrieving Noct’s ‘friend’, and it suddenly occurs to Noct that Ignis doesn’t know the first thing about Gladio or him.

“Ignis.” He calls, and the man turns, looking over his shoulder, and that’s quite the sight to behold. He looks so majestic in the sunlight, hair disheveled and sweeping over his forehead, lips plump and irritated from biting them anxiously, and hands stained red with the blood of the man that saved his life. Even with the bruises that are still visible around his neck, Ignis looks like some official dignitary, and Noct gulps. _It’s only fair,_ he thinks, as he begins to introduce himself. “My name is Noctis Lucis Caelum.”

* * *

It’s a couple of hours of impatiently waiting, but not even the hushed conversations between Ignis and Gladio can break Noct away from the blond resting on his lap. Noct never once moves from his spot, spending the hours combing through Prompto’s hair with gentle fingers. He’s so quiet that Noct is afraid he's died and left him alone, but the color is slowly coming back to his cheeks and his breathing is evening out.

His head is still warm in Noct’s lap when Prompto blinks awake, and Noct is instantly beside himself with relief. He looks exhausted, eyes drooping tiredly, but he smiles when he sees Noct sitting by his side.

“Hey.” Prompto says, and Noct rolls his eyes.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me. You had me so worried.” He says, but he reaches out to take hold Prompto’s hand, like he’s afraid to let go, because the memory of the blood is still fresh in his mind. But he locks all that terror away and focuses on the now, the fact that Prompto is awake and squeezing his hand back. That his cheeks aren’t as pallid as before, and his blue eyes are piercing through him. “How are you feeling?” Noct asks.

“Like someone hit me in the face with a bag of bricks.” Prompto says, and he shifts slightly, hissing when he tries to move his leg. “No, it’s more like I got trampled by a bunch of wild horses. What the hell did I do to my leg?” He tries to sit up, but Noct is quick to pull him back down into his lap, careful to heed Ignis’ words from before, to keep him lying down. Prompto looks up at him curiously before his lips curl into a sultry grin. “If you wanted me, you could’ve just said -”

Ignis cuts Prompto’s proposition short by clearing his throat from his seat at the edge of camp, and Prompto freezes. It’s like the wind has been knocked out of him with the way he struggles for breath, and his hand is starting to shake desperately in Noct’s grip. He takes one glimpse at Ignis, already looking halfway to tears, and Noct strokes his hair as the realization comes to Prompto.

“Iggy.” It’s just barely more than a breath, a small exhale as Prompto’s eyes widen. “It’s you, you’re here. You’re really here.”

Ignis shuffles up beside Noct, settling in against Prompto’s uninjured side. His smile is so warm, and Noct watches as the tears that were gathering in Prompto’s eyes start to fall, watches as his hand leaves Noct’s to cradle Ignis’ face tenderly.

“Hello darling. It’s me. I’m here” Ignis says, voice smooth and soft. His hand covers Prompto’s gently, keeping the small hand pressed to his face. A whine tears from Prompto’s throat, a half sob that sends Noct reeling, and Ignis responds by pressing a delicate kiss to Prompto’s palm.

It’s such a sweet moment, but Noct’s thigh is burning under the weight of Prompto’s head. He feels so out of place, watching these two interact, but he can’t leave Prompto’s side just yet. It’s almost like he’s jealous, but not quite.

He looks towards Gladio where he’s sitting next to the small fire they'd started, but instead of meeting Noct’s gaze, he’s glaring at Ignis, scowl full of tenacity and something else Noct can’t place.

It’s Prompto’s quiet laughter that brings him back, breathless giggles that Noct has to strain to hear. Prompto reaches for his hand again, turning his head fully to rest against Noct’s inner thigh.

“I did it. He’s here.” He says, hand coming up to trace idly over Noct’s waist, nearly purring when Noct begins to pet through his hair again. Ignis smiles, a reaction that Noct didn’t expect, and pats Prompto’s leg slightly before he stands.

Noct blinks as Ignis heads towards the edge of camp. “Where are you going now?” Noct asks, and Prompto looks towards Ignis as well. His eyebrows knit together and his lips curve downwards, eyes watering once again, but Ignis smiles softly back.

“I’m just going to wash up, darling.” He says, holding up his hands for Prompto to see, hands that are still red with dried blood. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes, okay?” And Ignis’ eyes flicker desperately over Prompto’s face, like he’s looking for some sign that he’s going to be okay without him.

Ignis only leaves after Prompto finds the energy to nod, and Gladio goes to follow him, but he pauses when Prompto makes a noise. He smiles softly at the two of them, taking a minute to kneel at Prompto’s side.

“Glad you made it kiddo, but I need to ask him some questions.” He says, bringing a hand up to ruffle Prompto’s hair. “If you need me, just holler and I'll be here.” And he looks at Noct, mussing up his hair up as well. “That goes for you too.”

“Alright, alright!” Noct groans, swatting at Gladio’s hand playfully, but Prompto just nods.

And when Gladio finally leaves, Prompto finds it in himself to sit up, ignoring the way Noct scrabbles to keep him down, and he turns, plopping himself straight into Noct’s lap and wrapping his arms tight around Noct’s midsection. He buries his head into the crevice of Noct’s neck, basking in the warmth of the other man. He loves the way Noct holds his body close to him, petting through his blond hair as he rocks the two of them just slightly.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.” Prompto whispers, and Noct pulls back to see Prompto’s eyes shine, watching as those blue eyes drop and the tears gather once again.

“It’s alright, I’m just glad you’re safe.” Noct says, and his eyes widen, a blush rushing to his face as Prompto’s hand finds his cheek. His thumb caresses Noct’s cheekbone, and his fingers play with the hair by Noct’s ear, brushing just slightly over the shell in a way that makes Noct shiver at the bottom of his spine.

His hand is guiding Noct down slowly, and it seems like an eternity until their lips meet, but when they do, it’s like using one match to ignite a whole forest. Prompto’s chapped lips against his sends fire to his cheeks, electricity down his spine, his hands scrabble to hold Prompto against him, and his eyes roll back, relishing in the warmth against him, against his lips.

When he pulls back and Noct finally musters the strength to open his eyes again, Prompto is staring at him, and a giggle slips from his loopy smile.

“Your face is so red, like a vir-” Prompto starts to say, but Noct cuts him off by pulling him into another kiss, desperate and soft all rolled into one. Prompto’s lips move furiously against his and his arms come up to drape over Noct’s neck, hands slowly weaving into his hair to teasingly pull at the strands on the back of his neck. When Prompto’s tongue caresses his lips, he pulls back quickly, and looks down to the flushed blond in his lap, the same one that wears a cheeky grin.

“Can’t handle a little tongue? You’re such a virgin.” Prompto asks, and Noct groans, covering his own face with his hand, hiding his flush as best he can, but Prompto seems to get the hint anyways. “Oh. Oh!” And Noct curses inwardly as Prompto’s grin gets infinitely wider.

“Don’t say it.” He pleads, but Prompto only bounces in his lap excitedly.

“Was that seriously your first kiss?”

* * *

“I can wash my hands by myself.” Ignis says, but Gladio doesn’t move from his spot where he’s leaning against a tree, arms crossed menacingly over his chest. It’s a look that reminds Ignis briefly of a defiant behemoth, with his jaw set and his chest puffed out in a show of dominance, but if there’s anything Ignis has learned over the past couple years, it’s how to see through a bluff.

“I have some questions I need answered.” Gladio says as Ignis kneels by the creek, beginning to scrub the dried blood from his palms.

“So what are you waiting for? Ask away.” Ignis says.

“How do you know Prompto?” Talk about a difficult question to answer first, Ignis thinks, searching desperately for a method to hedge it in a way that would be suitable to Gladio’s standards, but he comes up with nothing.

“We were two people with the same unfortunate circumstances, and I helped him out of them.” Ignis says, hoping his pitiful description would be satisfactory as an answer, but Gladio doesn’t yield, jumping straight into the next question like clockwork.

“How much of Prompto’s past do you know?” He asks, and Ignis frowns.

“How much do _you_ know?” Ignis counters, and Gladio looks taken aback, like he expected Ignis not to put up a fight. Normally, Ignis couldn’t care less about answering questions, but this was about Prompto, sweet giggly Prompto, his ray of sunshine in the darkest of times. If he hadn’t told them yet, then Ignis had no right to either.

Gladio is silent for a moment, frown dipping even deeper before he finally speaks. “Someone hurt him.” He says, and Ignis stands to shake the water from his hands. “Someone did, and I don’t know who it was, or what they did, or how bad it was, but I want to make sure it never happens again.”

“Well, I can assure you that it’s not me, if that’s what you’re asking.” Ignis says, but he knows exactly who Gladio is talking about. Gladio’s hand comes down hard on his shoulder, and Ignis is forced to turn towards him.

“Who did?” It’s less of a question and more of a command, but Ignis can’t answer that. The memories of what they did to Prompto keep his mouth shut, even as pained screams echo in his ears and fire flashes across his eyes. It’s not his story to tell.

“I can’t tell you.” He says, reaching a hand up to run through his hair anxiously. “I can’t tell you right now. Maybe one day, but not today.”

“If not now, then when?” Gladio asks, and Ignis thinks that maybe the defiant behemoth look wasn’t just an act.

Ignis goes quiet for a minute, then he finally meets Gladio’s amber eyes, the eyes of someone fiercely protective, the eyes of someone willing to take on the world for someone they love.

“When he shows you his arm, his wrist, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything I remember.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH, sorry this is kinda late! It's been a while since i updated this, but i rewrote this chapter like 3 times and still wasn't happy with it, but this is the best it's gonna be, so I hope you enjoyed it..
> 
> schools starting in like 10 days, so idk how much im going to be able to update, but uh, ill try to update as frequently as i can!


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